Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale - Coors Brewing Company

Dave128

Kentucky

3.48/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

A - Doesn't look half bad. A moderate pour yields a small 1 finger fizzy head that slowly settles down into a fluffy disk on top. Color is clear amber with ruby highlights. Lacing not too impressive but it is there.

S - Smells yeasty and grassy. Nothing special at all.

T - This beer is a very sweet up front. It is all malt. Tastes like mostly pale malt with some darker malts to add color. I only get a slight caramel taste for the color. hops nonexistent.

M - Thankfully not overcarbonated. Light body.

O - This beer is a sweet malty ale. I certainly wouldn't classify it as a dubbel, but it does the job as far as all malt beers go.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 06:25:54 | More by Dave128

kenito799

New York

2.6/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass

Darkish crystal clear brew, reddish tinge. Foamy head arises then fades leaving no lace.

Aroma is pleasant, root beer and a hint of vanilla, not really malty.

On the palate this is decent to drink, the root beer spice is pleasant, but there is a definite artificial/mass-produced sense to this stuff. The finish in particular has a chemical feel.

Certainly better that Blue Moon's godawful wheat beer but not very good.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 21:47:45 | More by kenito799

JayS2629

Alabama

3.33/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pous a dark amber brown with a one finger tan head that fades slow enough but leaves very little lacing.

The aroma is faint, malt, touches of caramel and some faint white pepper notes. Faint hints of clove.

Nice rich caramel leads the way with some toast and nutty notes. Some tangy edges of fruit, pear and light fruit. Some floral elements, spice, and clove notes.

Medium body, smooth

I gotta say, for a dubbel this is nothing outstanding. Simple, watered down version of the real thing. Lacking complexities big time.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 02:31:20 | More by JayS2629

rufusb

Kentucky

3.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - medium brown, doesn't foam up much when pouring
S - very light, malty aroma
T - muted malts, slight sweet taste as well
M - light lager feel
O - heavier than standard blue moon, but not close to a porter taste or feel. Nice beer, not outstanding

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 07:06:30 | More by rufusb

BluBeers

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +40.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Its a good transition beer from cheap bud light type beer towards a craft beer. Has a spicey flavor, but has no after taste which is something i liked about it cause no other beers ive tried have done that. Also if you arnt a fan of christmas ales dont try this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 21:32:54 | More by BluBeers

huxcrunner

New York

2.93/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Copper brown and red undertones with a creamy white head
and fair lacing in the glass

Aroma isn't anything special not much going on slight malt. Aroma

Taste is average not a great winter beer but not poor, malty taste not very bitter

Overall this is a very average beer from a very avg brewery its excattly what you might excpet

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 00:25:34 | More by huxcrunner

DasPuma

Virginia

3.23/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a weizen glass

Appearance - pours a dark red that is slightly opaque when held to the light. Very little carbonation and a one inch head that dissipates quickly with slight lacing

Smell - I didn't get much out of it except maybe a slight toffee smell, but I don't have the strongest/most refined nose and I think the temperature I had it at (too cold, straight from the fridge) might have deadened the smell and taste somewhat

Taste - No flavor really stuck out except a touch of hoppiness that sticks around for a bit, but otherwise finishes very clean.

Mouthfeel - still learning the ropes on this one, but average I guess.

Overall a good beer that doesn't reflect Blue Moons best work but at least for me did not retract from their reputation.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 20:54:51 | More by DasPuma

blackcompg

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from their 12oz bottle from their Winter Sampler...

Appearance - Poures about a finger of tan head that quickly recedes, color of the beer is a transparent amber brown.

Smell - Sweet malts, brown sugar, slight fruitiness and spice.

Taste - Taste begins with sweet roasted malts, dark fruits, touch of crisp apple, and a faint whiff of belgian yeast/spice flavor. The yeast/spice flavor is most apparent very long into the finish. The flavors are quite nice but are just a bit watered down.

Mouthfeel - Lite to medium mouthfeel, lots of crisp carb, very easy to drink.

Overall - I'm actually pretty impressed with the flavors here. This really is well balanced, and even has some cpomplexity. A pretty impressive macro brewed beer, and one that I would not turn down if offered.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 21:33:59 | More by blackcompg

kylehay2004

Florida

3.43/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Single finger head on a hazy deep amber and red body, nice lacing. Aroma is almost all caramel malt with a slight earthy note. Flavor again is like a red with sweet Carmel malt dominating and some brown sugar notes. Medium body and moderate to high carbonation. Very drinkable and refreshing. Not a bad offering from a macro brew.

Serving type: on-tap

01-15-2012 05:56:37 | More by kylehay2004

jsisko01

Michigan

3.18/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance - Pours a dark brown/amber color with a centimeter thick, frothy tan head that dissipates instantly.

Smell - Caramel, sugar cane, and subtle sweetness. The smell is kind of feint.

Taste - Toasted malts, strong caramel flavor, toffee, sugar, molasses, and dark fruits.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with light carbonation. Feels a little creamy in texture.

Overall - Not too bad but I wouldn't wanna drink a lot of this..

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 05:42:17 | More by jsisko01

GregBlatz

Ohio

3.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A - Dark ruby in color. head is tan and settles to nothing more than a thin layer. No lacing as it falls at this point. Slight haziness.

S - I'm struggling to pick up anything. A candy sweetness is there. Some breadiness.. I can't notice any belgian phenols or really anything. I should wait for it to warm up a bit but I'm going to dive in.

T - Crystal malts hit up front. Sweet and malty. I'm not picking up anything belgian here.

M - Very strong bite from the carbonation. No alcohol warmth perceptible. Somewhat thin.

O - I like the beer and I would drink another. The problem is I'm not getting any phenolic flavors. No dark fruit. Nothing belgian. It is a safe interpretation and it is good but not a good representative of an abbey style.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 01:31:06 | More by GregBlatz

Kendo

New York

3.13/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured from the bottle into an Augustijn goblet. Body is dark amber (some mahogany around the edges when backlit) with a small ecru-colored head.

S: Faint notice of sugar, with a touch of dark malt.

T: Sweetness dominates. That candied sugar is there again, with a bit of caramel malt/toffee, some dark fruit and a slight nuttiness. Also some ripe apple. Finishes with a touch of cream soda that at times reminds me of black cherry soda. There's a bunch of things going on, but they don't seem to come together quite right.

M: This is where this beer really doesn't measure up. Carbonation is too active and the heft is too light.

O: Not bad for a Coors stab at a Belgian style, but nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 00:49:53 | More by Kendo

tony223366

California

2.6/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A: Actually has great clarity and color. Deep brown, but ruby red in the light. With a vigorous pour I got 1.5 fingers of fluffy head that quickly turned into nothing.

S: This is bizarre. It half fits the style and half doesn't. It's like it's wearing two different color socks. I get some caramel malt, candi sugar and dark fruits. And then... bam! Weird bread aroma. Totally out of place.

T: The taste is off balance too, but not nearly as much. I get candi sugar, caramel, dark fruits, some clean hop bite but that odd breadiness is there. Finish is a little sweet + cloying.

M: A shade too thin with a shade too much carbonation.

O: Actually better than I imagined. I think it's awesome Blue Moon (IE Coors) attempted a dubbel. They have just a few off-putting flavors and aromas that drag this beer down. I'm sure with a little tweaking this could be a solid offering.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2012 15:51:03 | More by tony223366

wedge

North Carolina

2.15/5  rDev -29.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Bright, clear crimson with a tall, but fizzy head that quickly dissolves to nearly nothing. Light aroma of toffee, nuts, and a whiff of dark fruit...cheap smelling overall though. Malty sweet flavor upfront, grain, bread, fruit, and a bunch of candi sugar. Increased plum and raisin as it warms. Medium-thin-ish and a bit dry in the finish. Not horrible as a beverage, but it fails at resembling any sort of Belgian ale. Needless to say, it can't hang with the real deal...

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 22:26:33 | More by wedge

TheCondor

Missouri

3.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I was at a relative's house last night and was served this beer. He was pretty proud of it, but beer for consists of American Adjunct Lagers and not much else. He also insisted I put an orange slice in it, which after I had the first bottle I tried. Not recommended, and I knew better. Anyway, to the review of the beer (sans orange):

Appearance - Medium brown with a ruby tint, decent one finger head which dissipated fairly quickly. Nothing much seen for lacing. Looks like a pretty good beer.

Smell - A light fruit scent presents itself on the nose, with a hint of spice as well.

Taste - The brew has a mediocre feel on the palate. A real light caramel flavor, conmingled with a fruity and spicy undercurrents. Not bad, won't make you want to call your mom or anything.

Mouthfeel - Pretty thin, light carbonation. Kind of unexpected, but that's fine. The taste certainly doesn't linger on your palate long.

Overall - The score says it all: average. I did like the appearance of the beer, but everything else about it was kind of ho-hum. It's not bad, by any stretch, but I certainly wouldn't put it on a "wants" list or anything. Just average.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 20:28:29 | More by TheCondor

mrfrancis

Kentucky

2.1/5  rDev -31.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

A: I think this may be more of a Belgian dark ale than a dubbel because it pours a clear copper with a thick, pillowy khaki head. The head recedes quickly, but leaves a sticky trail of lace deep into the glass.

S: The nose of this ale is odd to say the least. Aromas of caramel, treacle, dark bread, and mildly earthy hops are joined by an off-putting wheat toast aroma that does not fit with this style at all.

T: Notes of dark bread, wheat toast, caramel, cream, cocoa, treacle, candy sugar, and earthy hops wash across the palate, leaving the most fleeting of impressions. The finish is thin and short with wheat toast, caramel, cocoa, and candy sugar notes.

M: Very light in body, thin, slick, and watery. Carbonation is almost nonexistent. Very still and flabby in the mouth.

O: Whatever this ale was intended to be, I think it is safe to say that it misses the mark. This is really subpar stuff.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 02:07:19 | More by mrfrancis

ZenAgnostic

Texas

2.5/5  rDev -18%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle poured into a Shock Top weizen glass. Neck stamped MAY0712.

Appearance - Very reminiscent of a glass of Coca Cola. Medium dark brown body with constant carbonation flow. Tan head with decent to low retention and lacing.

Smell - Mild. Musky. Grainy. Some fig underneath.

Taste - Follows the nose. Pretty mild. Caramel and a bit of coffee.

Mouthfeel - A bit astringent. Light bodied for the style.

Overall Drinkability - Finding this out was supposed to be a dubbel ruined the beer for me. For the style, it's pretty bad. But if you think of it as a winter warmer, which was my initial impression, it's decent.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 18:11:53 | More by ZenAgnostic

Lemke10

Wisconsin

3.78/5  rDev +23.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I bought a 12pk Winter variety pack of this from Woodman's in Janesville, WI in Winter 2011.

Pours medium brown color with an average head. The scent is mostly of malts. A pretty heavy beer for Blue Moon. A nice blend of malts and grains especially the caramel and spice flavors. Perfect for a cold winter day. Perhaps this is not the best example of a Dubbel, but it is rather tasty for a Macro-brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 21:39:18 | More by Lemke10

Cellach

Virginia

2.9/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Poured from bottle into a stemless red wine glass. The color looks about right for an Abbey-style ale - a rich, nearly opaque ruby-mahogany. The absence of any real head reminds me this is certainly no bottle-conditioned Belgian delight. The nose is dark and vaguely fruity, with plum, fig, clove, allspice, and molasses or brown sugar. The palate is not unpleasant, with plenty of that molasses, clove, and dried fruit and some decent maltiness, but this beer is very light in body (hence my unusually low "mouthfeel" score - I rarely dock or add points here unless there is significant deviation from stylistic expectations). The finish lies somewhere between "clean" and "nonexistent."

Overall, a pleasant if boring spiced winter ale. An Abbey-style ale it is not, nor should it pretend to be. But for a mass-produced beer that I can find in any grocery store in town, it's pleasantly quaffable.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 19:56:15 | More by Cellach

ForWhatAlesYou

Minnesota

2.85/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12 oz bottle into a tulip

A: Deep clear ruby brown. Frothy tan head with yellowish tones. Spotty lace.

S: Alcohol carries notes of clove, brown sugar, and a little "rotten" banana (my y year old caught the rotten smell).

T: Light caramel, some allspice, some apple cider. Taste falls flat. Graininess finishes with a little bitter.

M: High carbonation, thinner than expected.

D: Pretty low points overall here. Wouldn't seek out.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 18:00:55 | More by ForWhatAlesYou

barleyroad

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark amber in appearance, nice an clear. Smell, has a light toated malt aroma. Mouthfeel is fullbody with a crisp feel to the mouth. Taste is very surprising, nice blend of flavors with the right amount of sweetness. Overall, this beer is good malty brew and one that will go well with some good old roast beef.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 00:35:58 | More by barleyroad

ThePorterSorter

New York

2.83/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Appearance:
Thin and watery dark brown with absolutely no head retention or lacing. Held to the light the beer is a pale, clear red with no sediment.

Smell:
There is a light fruitiness, so maybe they did actually use some belgian yeast to make this beer. It's quite dull and i'm not convinced they didn't use rice, lager yeast, food coloring, and some aromatic extracts to produce this beer.

Taste:
A touch of grain and a light, fruity aftertaste. Drinkable, but not rich and flavorful as beers in this class should be. There is no way this would be monk-approved for weathering the harsh winters of Belgium...

Mouthfeel:
Thin, watery body with horribly deficient carbonation and flavor. The aftertaste is weak, but not gross. In fact, the slightly flavorful aftertaste is about the only redeeming quality of this beer.

Overall:
I'm too used to getting growler fills of ommegang from the tap to drink this beer. It was free, and also about the best I can expect from a man who drinks busch like he's already on fixed income, so I'm not complaining. However, I can't recommend this beer to others, not even for the price and convenience that it offers.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2012 03:35:11 | More by ThePorterSorter

CaptJackHarkness

New York

3.93/5  rDev +28.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Twelve ounce bottle freshness dated to april 2012:

Pours copper colored body with beige head. Head lasted about thirty seconds and completely dissapears. No lacing whatsover. Aroma is slightly grainy. Flavour is sweet. Poorly carbonated and leaves an odd sweet aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 21:33:05 | More by CaptJackHarkness

BlurryVisi0n

New York

3/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured unto a nonic glass.

Appearance: dark but clear amber, head thin white not too bubbly. Head was maybe 1/10".

Smell: Nutmeg, light hops.

Taste: Like I said above but super easy to drink. Comes off like a light winter lager. nothing to rave for.

Mouth: light-medium carbonation.

Overall: I like it but not the beer you will love. Yes it's real easy to drink but not full of the flavor you would truly want out of a winter beer. Try it be the judge, happy new years and cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 05:32:46 | More by BlurryVisi0n

fdw3

Pennsylvania

2.73/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Deep brown with a 1-2 finger off-white foam. spotty lace
S: Surprisingly muted -- not much going on here beyond typical malt scents.
T: Exceptionally average -- flavors were muted with a faint hint of sweetness at the end; includes a few earthy notes.
M: Average carbonation; quite thin feeling.
D: An OK beer, but nothing I'll come back to.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 23:24:28 | More by fdw3